Mt Zion Institute - Tusitala Yearbook (Winnsboro, SC)

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DR. PATTERSON WARDLAW University of South Carolina Former Superintendent of Mount Zion Institute. flatting of ifflnmtt lion What is the meaning of Mount Zion—its spirit? What picture does the name bring to mind? It means a background of God-fearing, brave, intelligent men and women, who believe in education for knowledge and for righteousness. It means a noble struggle by a state-wide Society, to bring all the people of South Carolina together —to unify sections and sects. It means a brave adventure, during the hardships and terrors of the Revolution, to provide for the people the education that independence would demand. It means generations of unswerving loyalty to the principle of seeking first the things of mind and soul, of subordinating all things, even parental partiality, to the highest good of their children. It means one of the greatest preparatory schools of its day, sending to the colleges future leaders for the whole state. In its later function—-humbler but nobler—of teaching all the children of all the people,” it has meant, in town and county, a folk of remarkably high intelligence and character—a character shaped by the fear of God applied to the common affairs of life. It means numbers of worthy and efficient young people, out of all proportion to the size of the. town, filling positions throughout South Carolina—and making good.” It is related that Dr. James H. Carlisle was asked, What made Winnsboro and Fairfield men notable?” He replied, That light on the hill,” meaning Mount Zion. The Mount Zion of today means the powerful instrument that this same strong stock is employing to fit its children, not for the times of their forbears, but for tasks confronting them in the days soon to come. And what of the future? As in the past it has striven to meet the needs of the age in which its pupils were to live, so the Mount Zion of tomorrow must, with equal breadth of mind, dare to face the inconceivably wonderful changes thrust on us by the approaching years, and fit our youth to be bigger than anything that can happen to them.” Mount Zion is historic, but not old. Let us will that she shall be a vigorously developing youth, having the prowess to meet new onslaughts with weapons ever freshly forged. And so, finally, Mount Zion means HOPE.

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during this period, too, in 1824, that the Society began to hold its meetings in Winns- boro. Until this year it had met in Charleston. James W. Hudson came to Mount Zion in 1834. He was a dominant character and a great teacher. Students came to Mount Zion from all over the Southern States. Hudson made Mount Zion famous. It became the ambition of favored young men to avail themselves of the Superior Advantage of Mount Zion.” Among Hudson’s assistants were William Bratton, Thomas McCants, D. Wyatt Aiken, George H. McMaster, James H. Rion, and Wood Davidson. Hudson is buried under a monument erected to his memory just in front of the present graded school building. During the period of the war between the states Mount Zion never closed its doors. In the latter part of the war the buildings were used as a military hospital, and at the last were occupied by Federal troops. Meeting disaster with unfaltering courage, the trustees continued the school, the classes meeting in the Baptist Church, Thespian Hall, anywhere where a roof to cover the pupils could be found. In 1867 there came the crowning blow. Fire destroyed the building completely. The Society, still reeling from the shock of war and in the midst of the terrible reconstruc- tion era, suffered a loss of thirty thousand dollars. But the spirit instilled by the founders was indomitable. In 1873 a smaller building was erected and the school continued. In 1878 Mount Zion was changed from an academy to a public graded school, still con- nected, however, with Mount Zion Society. This was undoubtedly the first public school in the state outside of Charleston. Professor R. Means Davis, great gentleman and be- loved teacher, was the guiding spirit in this innovation. About 1880, an attempt was made to revive the collegiate features of the school. A joint meeting of the Society and the citizens was held. The town issued its bonds for some seven thousand dollars, giving the proceeds to Mount Zion. Funds were raised in other ways and the session of 1881 was opened in a large and well arranged brick building, furnished with improved seats, chemical laboratory, etc.” W. H. Witherow became Superintendent, and for sixteen years under bis leadership the school grew in usefulness. From Witherow’s time until the present, the school has been a public graded and high school under the laws of the State of South Carolina. In 1922, the building, which was so large and well arranged” in 1881, was torn away and the present grammar school building was erected. This structure was used by both graded and high schools until 1936, when a new high school building was erected. The light on the hill,” as Dr. Jas. H. Carlisle called Mount Zion, still shines. We hope that the spirit of the founders still animates us, who use the tools they forged. Honor, reverence, courage, loyalty, sound learning, courtesy, and consideration for others—these are the things Mount Zion has stood for. The fads and frills and foolish fancies of education of these latter days are not a part of her spirit and her tradition. Let us hope that she will hold fast to her ideals: changing her methods, but not her 'purposes, slowly and sanely as the years go by.

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Among (3liosp Hfjn lEmhniitj QJlj? spirit of ilonnt 2imt Professor R. Means Davis Former Superintendent Mount Zion Institute Dr. James Henry Carlisle Rev. William Porcher Dubose Educated at Mount Zion Insti- Former Mount Zion pupil and tute. Identified with Wofford world famous theologian. College for more than 50 years. Dr. James Henly Thorn well Harts ville, S. C. Former Superintendent of Mount Zion Institute Miss Emily Obear Col. David Dubose Gaillard Teacher at Mount Zion for 50 Washington, D. C, years. Former Mount Zion pupil. Army Engineer who excavated Gaillard Cut, Panama Canal.